Chapter 17
<Bad Ending Maker Episode17>
“Dark Hand.”
Hidden in the forest, Labo muttered softly.
Labo was right-handed, and his auxiliary equipment was set to his left hand.
As Labo activated the ‘Dark Hand’ skill, his left hand turned black up to his forearm.
The Dark Hand had three combo options:
Shield, Grab, Claw.
Labo activated Grab and stretched his arm forward. A dark aura erupted from his blackened left hand.
The target was the rearmost member of the party heading to the oasis.
A mage.
Whoosh!
The black hand made of aura swiftly grabbed the mage’s waist.
“Huh?”
The startled mage couldn’t even scream.
He was dragged straight toward Labo.
“Wh-what?!”
Panicking, the mage turned to look at Labo, who tightened his grip on his sword.
Sizzle!
The blade of the serpentine longsword, Sadok Sword, became engulfed in black flames.
It was Dark Aura.
As the mage entered range, Labo murmured the skill name:
“Dark Chain Strike.”
The blade carved a dark trail through the air.
The skill unleashed five consecutive strikes that tore through the mage’s body like lightning.
Thud!
“Gah…?!”
Five strikes with Dark Aura active.
Even five normal slashes would deal massive damage, but with an additional 750% armor-piercing damage, it was beyond what a mage could endure.
Though the mage had defensive skills like a crystal shield to prevent instant death, there was no time to activate them.
Crash!
With a single skill, the mage collapsed into the bushes, entering a downed state.
“S-someone hel—”
Before he could finish, Labo slashed him again.
The mage entered a death state, his mouth twitching soundlessly.
In Wings Online, death had two stages:
When HP reached zero, you became downed but could still speak. Revival by an ally restored 50% HP.
A finishing attack while downed led to true death—no communication, and revival restored only 5% HP.
“One down.”
Labo, having instantly killed the mage, prepared Dark Hand again.
His left hand darkened once more.
‘My remaining HP…’
Two uses of Dark Hand, one Dark Chain Strike, and Dark Aura activation had drained over 30% of his HP.
Chugging an HP potion, Labo thrust his left hand forward.
This time, the target was an archer.
The party had noticed the mage’s disappearance.
“Did he get hit by something? Was it a boss monster?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. No monsters detected here.”
“Then maybe a ghost dragged him off? Like whoosh~ thud!”
Thud!
A black aura hand seized the archer’s neck mid-sentence.
“Waaaah?!”
As the panicking archer was yanked toward him, Labo muttered:
“Dark Chain Strike.”
Five Dark Aura-imbued strikes slammed into him.
Thud!
The archer’s light armor offered more defense than the mage’s robes, but it couldn’t withstand the skill’s damage.
Crash!
He collapsed beside the mage, cleanly knocked out in one combo.
“Two down.”
Labo smirked.
In mid-to-low level PvP—where players lacked proper stats or gear—the Dark Knight’s skills were overwhelmingly strong.
‘Though maybe I just know this game too well.’
Thwack!
He finished the gaping archer too. The mage and archer now lay side by side, exchanging silent glances.
“Last one left…”
Labo turned his gaze toward the forest path.
A shield warrior crouched cautiously, battle-ready. Clearly a Defender-class—heavy armor, a sturdy shield. No one-combo kill here. Even with Dark Aura’s true damage, it’d take multiple hits.
Labo checked his HP. Despite the potion, continuous skill usage had left him at half.
Looking at the HP, Rambo thought,
'Only half left.'
It was the typical mindset of a kill-stealer. Rambo smirked.
This much HP is enough!
Taat!
Rambo dashed out of the forest without hiding anymore.
The shield warrior, startled by Rambo’s sudden appearance, gritted his teeth.
“So it was you who ambushed my friends…!”
No need for words!
Without responding, Rambo charged forward and swung his Venom Sword. The blade was now wrapped in a pitch-black flame.
‘What skill is this?’
Momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar effect, the shield warrior skillfully raised his shield and stepped back.
“Guard Stance!”
A full-guard ability with increased defense—the warrior’s signature skill.
Thud!
But as the sword struck, stars flashed before his eyes. His HP plummeted. The shield warrior’s expression changed.
‘True Damage?!’
Thud thud thud!
The relentless True Damage forced the shield warrior to shout:
“Thornmail!”
Spiked armor activated. Thorny aura spikes emerged menacingly from his shield and armor, reflecting damage and drastically boosting defense—but only briefly.
Rambo canceled his next attack and retreated. Attacking during Thornmail’s activation would only harm himself.
Seeing Rambo hold back, the shield warrior deactivated Guard Stance and charged.
“Shield Charge!”
A golden aura gathered around his shield. In an instant, he closed the distance to Rambo’s face.
“Hyaa!”
Rambo leaped sideways. Shield Charge was powerful but non-targeted; dodging its range sufficed.
Evading like a matador, Rambo slashed the warrior’s side with his Venom Sword.
The shield warrior’s eyes gleamed.
“Gotcha!”
He had anticipated this. The opening was intentional.
“Shield Bash!”
The shield swung with crushing force—a skill dealing defense-proportional damage, tripled on counter timing. Perfect to down any DPS!
Whoosh!
The shield moved faster than Rambo’s sword. A smile curled the warrior’s lips.
“Dark Hand. Shield.”
Rambo extended his left arm. A black aura-shield materialized.
Clang!
The shields collided.
“……?!”
The warrior stared—Rambo stood unharmed.
‘My counter… absorbed?!’
Rambo smirked as the shield dissolved into smoke.
Dark Hand-Shield: Absorbs one attack. Useless against combos, but perfect for single strikes.
‘Not bad.’
Darkening his left hand again, Rambo chanted:
“Dark Hand Claw.”
The energy shifted to his right blade. He slashed—the warrior blocked instinctively.
Puck!
“Ugh?!”
Searing pain. Blackened vision.
‘Blind? No—stun?!’
Dark Hand-Claw: 1-second stun, 3-second blindness.
Rambo circled behind the panicked warrior, grinning as he raised his sword.
Rear damage: 1.5x. Weak spot multiplier: 1.2x. Total: 1.8x.
Even for a tank…
“Dark Chain Strike!”
Critical! Critical! Critical!
Five strikes shredded the warrior’s HP to zero.
“Damn… it…”
Thud.
“Third one~ Too easy.”
The downed warrior growled:
“You coward… sneaking up—”
“We’re both from Undertown. In PK, there’s no ‘dirty’ play.”
Rambo squatted mockingly before calling:
“Hey, Oasis! Your turn.”
Rustle.
Oasis emerged from the bushes, face grim.
“H-healer?!” the warrior shouted. “Run! He’s too strong!”
“Shut up.”
Rambo finished him with a slash.
Checking his status:
Infamy: 8,180 (+3,800).
“Decent for level 50s.”
The fallen warrior desperately signaled Oasis with his eyes: Don’t come!
But Oasis avoided his gaze and cast:
“Resurrection.”
Revived with 5% HP. Debuff: All actions slowed (179s).
“When infamous users PK, the winner takes half the loser’s infamy.”
Rambo pressed his sword to the warrior’s throat.
“So if I kill, revive, and repeat… How many times until I take everything?”
The warrior paled.
“Let’s start counting~”
Rambo brought down his sword.
